You're running a food and beverage operation. How do you keep your staff sharp and versatile?

In addition to boosting morale and alleviating some potential scheduling headaches, cross-training your staff can also be an extremely effective, if not necessary, tool in creating a teamwork-oriented company culture free from any "us vs them" mentalities.

Understanding what motivates your team, everyone has a different level of motivation and what drives them. As a leader listening, and learning what strength each person has and what inspires them to live the vision and mission each day they come into work provides me with feedback and the right recommendations for rewarding their contributions.

Continuous staff trainings and stay breast if any changes in operations. Ensure everyone is properly equipped and ready to take on task

The pursuit of knowledge is a lifelong endeavor. Similarly, training and re-training with your team needn't stop after their first week on the job. Invite your bartenders to a mixology seminar or a Tiki convention, or keep some of Rene Redzepi's books on the office shelf for that ambitious sous chef. Some of your staff will be more passionate about this continuing education than others and that's alright. In either case, the most effective thing you can do in helping your team develop is making sure they have the means to, and helping them understand why they should utilize them.

In my opinion, Feedback is priceless. We need to provide both constructive and appreciative feedbacks and act on the feedback as together. It will not only helps in team members growth but also helps to provide an effective team member for an organization.

The staff see the process unfold in the trenches. Their input is valuable and when we ask for their input they feel they are valuable too.

Inviting open feedback and discussion from your staff can be a valuable resource that benefits all parties. Give them the opportunity to weigh-in on the issues and collaborate with management as members of the team. Their perspective may actually shed some light on important details that were overlooked from your own, or they may not fully understand the issue which you now have the opportunity to coach and educate them about.

My employees are the face of the business. Yes I can be in there and doing all the things that their position would plus the managerial stuff, but they’re always thinking of ways to make things simpler, easier, or whatever the case may be. Talk about giving somebody some ownership when you’re able to implement some of their ideas. When you do that you, you get buy in from them for the change and they will be finding ways to do more to make their lives easier. It’s a win-win it also frees up some brain space. The old saying goes, you can’t work on a business while you’re in the business. Let them try it, step away, get outside perspective and then come back in and evaluate if it is or isn’t working. Is it your standard and should it stay?

In my experience, reward and recognition goes the distance with creating loyal, versatile staff. Everyone likes to be told what they are doing well, tell them as many creative ways you can.

I believe recognition at the right time & for the right reason is essential for everyone, however I also believe when we give our people empowerment to make decisions, implement ideas & genuinely contribution to the buisness it generates a true feeling of ownership & pride to drive positive outcome & sucess. Also giving our people a safe space to fail, at times, followed by guideance & coaching of any shortfalls & praise of the positives is the foundation of engagement, development & loyalty within our team.

By recognizing and rewarding your staff, you're letting them know you're paying attention. Celebrating your team creates connections, and knowing your leadership cares and is paying attention creates an environment for success.

*Share business ‘success’ information at the level that’s right for the individuals. *Deliver ‘s!@t sandwiches’ - what they’ve done great, what they’ve done not so well and finish on a positive note. *Provide small, valuable but inexpensive gestures *Be present… *Show interest *Be consistent in what you’re asking for from them *Be supportive if someone is struggling *Feedback on performance- what’s been done well/badly- what could have been done better and how *Have employee of the months *Go out with them as a ‘human’ - show them another side to your work ‘person’ *Let them go early-unannounced & unexpected

In my world its a bit difficult bringing someone into the fold of slavery. I feel like a different person now that I am in the management field. Like to be a teacher, and let the people work and not be a monitor (micromanage), an ass like some have been in the passed. Like to teach some that work with me the importance of save and invest. Yet some employers won't let that happen. If one were to get hired, and that one wouldn't exactly pull his/her weight in helping out...I didn't know that was considered stealing until just recently. Hence letting that one go. Kick them to the curve.

consider empowering staff, familiarizing them with equipment, maintaining quality control, providing customer service training, promoting adaptability, encouraging communication, optimizing resource management, facilitating industry networking, establishing a feedback loop, and recognizing their contributions.